In the third match of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, Australia and New Zealand faced off at Boland Park in Paarl.
New Zealand won the toss and decided to bowl first, looking to make the most of the conditions. However, the Australian innings got off to a strong start, with captain Meg Lanning leading the way with 41 runs off 33 balls. She was well supported by Ellyse Perry, who scored 40 runs off 22 balls, helping Australia reach a competitive total of 173/9.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand bowling attack, led by Amelia Kerr and Leah Tahuhu, kept the Australians in check and prevented them from running away with the game. Kerr took three wickets for 23 runs, while Tahuhu scalped three wickets for 37 runs.
In response, the New Zealand batting effort was lackluster, as they struggled to cope with the Australian bowling attack. The Kiwis were bundled out for 76 in just 14 overs, with Kerr top-scoring for her side with 21 runs off 30 balls. Bernadine Bezuidenhout also chipped in with 14 runs off 10 balls, but it wasn’t enough to save the New Zealand innings.
The standout performer for Australia was Ashleigh Gardner, who took an incredible five-wicket haul for just 12 runs. Her pace and accuracy proved too much for the New Zealand batters, and she was instrumental in helping Australia secure a comfortable victory. Megan Schutt also impressed, taking two wickets for 8 runs and putting in a solid all-round performance.
Australia thrash New Zealand in Paarl. #T20WorldCup #AUSvNZ Scorecard: https://t.co/2tppxtMeSw #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/9Zl6D6i8D2
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) February 12, 2023
Gardner was deservedly named the ‘Player of the Match’ for her outstanding bowling performance.
In the post-match presentation, Gardner talked about her sensational bowling, as well as her team’s massive victory over New Zealand: “I think that was set up by our batters, gave us some flexibility, and I was lucky enough to take those wickets in the end. I have worked a lot on my wrist position. It’s more about my length. Some were bouncing and some weren’t and I bowled at the stumps and that helped,” she said.
With a convincing victory at the start of their World Cup campaign, Australia will now look to carry the momentum in the upcoming matches of this year’s edition.
